Tokyo Swallows Off-Season Updates: January 27, 2012

The team reported that it would likely use the US$2.5 million dollars if received from the Milwaukee Brewers to help improve the farm team facilities. It was not reported whether all or part of the posting fee would be put towards stadium improvements. There is also a rumor flying around that Hatakeyama has requested a larger supply of pudding for between-inning consumption.

The farm team’s stadium in Toda is apparently being sized up for a number of improvements covering everything from the field to the fence to the seats to the toilets.

Second baseman Hiroyasu Tanaka is reportedly taking ballet lessons.

RHP Hitoshi Yamamoto spent eight minutes standing under a waterfall of near-freezing water while “meditating.” The water was so cold that he apparently started making odd 2012 proclamations such as “I plan to record double-digit victories.” If he fulfills any of those crazy pledges this year, then Tsubamegun will see to it that he spends twice as much time under the waterfall next year. At any rate, Ogawa was impressed and invited him to first team spring training in Okinawa.

Lastings Milledge‘s tenure in Japan got off to a slow start when he missed his flight out of Tampa. He arrived in Japan on the 26th, a day later than originally planned. The Japanese press was all over it. They wasted little time in coming to the conclusion that Milledge will be nothing but trouble. The team, for its part, responded calmly and said that it wasn’t too worried at this point in time.

Masanori Ishikawa appears to be the lone Tokyo Swallow on the Samurai Japan team that will take on the Chinese National team in an earthquake relief charity event on March 10th. Yoshinori had originally been recruited to pitch, but the Swallows wisely rejected the offer seeing as how he’s still recovering from a shoulder injury.

Christopher is a budding sabermetrician and long-time supporter of Tokyo's more lovable team, the Swallows. He has publicly volunteered, several times, that he plans to buy the team at some point in the future. When he finally runs the joint, it is likely that he will fine any player who swings at the first pitch or sac bunts (unless it's a pitcher, of course). Follow him on Twitter: @chrispellegrini

Kozo

I thought the team was using the 300 million extra yen they got from playoff gate for farm facility improvements. I wonder how much cushier Toda is gonna become.